After the attack by the American army on two Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, Iran threatened on Saturday to target American infrastructure in the region.
Iran threatened on Saturday evening to target American interests in the region if its merchant marine is attacked, following strikes on two of its tankers.
“Toute attaque contre des pétroliers et navires commerciaux iraniens entraînera une lourde riposte contre l’un des centres américains dans la région ainsi que contre les navires ennemis,” warned the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of Tehran.
“Missiles and drones are aimed at the enemy and we are waiting for the order to fire,” added the commander of the Guards’ navy, General Majid Mousavi.
Context: Tensions between the US and Iran have been escalating, with recent attacks on Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman. Fact Check: The US has denied targeting the tankers and instead claimed to have neutralized them through airstrikes.
Attacks in the Gulf of Oman
A month after the ceasefire in the war between Iran and its Israeli-American allies, these threats come in the wake of US attacks on two Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
The US military, which has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, announced that it had “neutralized” the two vessels by air in this access to the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil normally passes.
While the ships were reportedly not carrying cargo according to the military, images released by the US military command for the region (Centcom) show thick columns of smoke coming from the bridge.
Context: The blocking of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has disrupted the global economy since the start of the Israeli-American offensive on February 28.
The Strait of Hormuz Blocked
Iran has been blocking the Strait of Hormuz since the beginning of the Israeli-American offensive on February 28, severely disrupting the global economy.
Naval clashes between Washington and Tehran have increased since the beginning of the month, with negotiations at a standstill awaiting an Iranian response to American proposals.
Donald Trump expects to receive a response “very soon,” according to the LCI television channel on Saturday, after a brief conversation with the American president. He had already said the day before that he expected to receive “a letter” in the evening.
Context: Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in the Middle East have been stalled, raising doubts about the seriousness of the US approach according to Iran. Fact Check: The reference to thousands of deaths in Iran and Lebanon is unverified.
Iran Questions the “Seriousness” of the US
Iran questioned the seriousness of American diplomacy on Saturday in the negotiations to find a solution to the conflict in the Middle East, which has resulted in thousands of deaths, mainly in Iran and Lebanon.
“The recent escalation of tensions by American forces and their multiple violations of the ceasefire raise suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American side in diplomacy,” declared the Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi.
